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Skining doors (Model IV Doors)

34 posts in this topic

Posted

Going to skin my doors tomorrow.  These are the 3 piece Model IV doors (plexi on upper and lower and a fiberglass band in the midde).

Any suggestions on how to best go about this?

I was thinking cleko-ing the upper and lower portions and then place the fiberglass on top with a few cleco's then rivet the whole deal?

Any other idea's?? 

Larry S.

 

 

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Posted (edited)

Going to skin my doors tomorrow.  These are the 3 piece Model IV doors (plexi on upper and lower and a fiberglass band in the midde).

Any suggestions on how to best go about this?

I was thinking cleko-ing the upper and lower portions and then place the fiberglass on top with a few cleco's then rivet the whole deal?

Any other idea's?? 

Larry S.

 

 

First I have heard about "fiberglass band"?

I don't like rivets in Lexan - Larry 3400 had some good photos on here of his KF4 with bolts going all the way thru the aluminum frames.  I will make my windows so they open independent of the doors.

EdMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Larry,

       Whether you rivet or bolt, your holes should be at least .060 oversize thru the Lexan - .090 is better.  Rubber washers topped by aluminum washers under the heads helps.

EDMO

 

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Posted

Instructions from the manual attached. Also, I assume you are using poly-carbonate sheeting (Lexan is a brand name) rather than acrylic (Plexiglas is a brand name). A Uni-bit step drill will work very well for putting holes in either, never use an unmodified spiral wood bit in acrylic. It will pull into the acrylic and has a very high probability of cracking it. Personally, I would use the 3M automotive tape (see: attached Bubble Door Install1.pdf) and as few rivets as possible.

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Bubble Door Install1.pdf

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Posted

Larry,

      Where the hinge bolts go thru the door tubes at the top, do you have a hole in the tube to one side, and a slot in the opposite side  of the tube for the hinge bolt, or is there just one hole all the way thru the tubes?

I am trying to figure out what I have and how to get hinge bolts for it.

Thanks,  EdmO

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Posted

Hi Ed:

 

Just one hole all the way through. I drilled those last night.

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Posted (edited)

Thanks Doug:

Just so that I have this correct, I have a 1/2" overlap everywhere except the top edge (next to the fabric) and also the windshield aluminum molding?  I had originally anticipated it would lay over the aluminum as well (as it is about even with the cowling edges etc.

Thanks for the heads-up cutting the Plexi (actually I am not sure if it is Lexan or Plexi, still in the box from Kitfox.

 

 

 

Edited by LSaupe

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Posted

How do you guys typically cut this stuff.  Am thinking of using a band saw currently.

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Posted (edited)

How do you guys typically cut this stuff.  Am thinking of using a band saw currently.

Band saw with fine-tooth blade or cutoff wheel - Stay away from jig saws or saber saws - If it is Plexi instead of Lexan dont cut it when it is too cold.

EdMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

LARRY,

The better you polish the edges after cutting, the less chance of cracking - We had to polish edges in school to where you could read a newspaper lenthways thru 2 inches of 1/4" Plexi.  There are polishing kits that progressively go up to about 5000 grit, but that may be a little overkill...

EdMO

 

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Posted

Isn't there a method of using a flame from a propane torch to finish the edge?

Lou

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Posted

Cutting (and drilling) poly-carbonate sheet is easier than cutting/drilling acrylics because it is much softer than acrylic. I tried both table and band saws but found it easiest and most precise to cut poly-carbonate sheet using my Harbor Freight oscillating Fein Multi-Tool knockoff. A fine tooth metal half-round metal saw blade cut great and left an easy to clean up edge. I also just used a diamond circular saw disc blade in my Dremel to cut out some poly-carbonate sheet for another project not long ago. That worked good too, just be patient, pay attention to be careful of slips or the blade may bind, skip or ding your sheet! Easier to hold/handle/move/adjust a small hand tool rather than the large sheet IMHO.

When using a table or circular saw, a fine-tooth carbide-tipped circular saw blade with more teeth the better. Set the saw speed at 6,000 to 8,000 rpm, and cut or feed slowly. Alternately, a fine tooth band saw blade will work ok, providing you precut the larger piece to fit your saw throat but that means two cuts and more waste which I don't like. Jig saw blades tend to move too fast and get too hot, usually melting the plastic closed behind them. Whatever saw you use, cut the the sheet close to the table support edge and it is best to hold/clamp the sheet down to prevent vibration and studder which will quickly f-up your edge. Keep the saw area free of debris and tape the saw shoe to prevent scratching the poly-carbonate.

I am fairly certain flame polishing of edges is for acrylics only, not poly-carbonates. I used a drum sander on my Dremel, then a sanding block with 2 or 3 progressively finer grits then auto polishing compound (tip: clamp a thin metal straight edge to your cut line and sand to it, you will avoid any unevenness and it helps keep the edge square).

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Posted (edited)

Doug,

Re: The table saw or circular saw - We used to cut acrylic anywhere from 3/4 to 1" thick into 2x3" blocks with a table saw - We had a fine-toothed special blade, and ran the blade IN REVERSE to keep the teeth from loading up plastic - It worked!   I prefer a shaker-type sander for smoothing the edges - easier to keep a straight line - they make some of these about a foot or more long.

EdMO

Edited by EDMO

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Posted

Doors came out great: (Model IV doors on a Model III with wide body kit).  Very happy with them.  Thanks for all the assistance with this (hopefully last) project on this build.  Going to try again this weekend for the first flight.

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Posted

Doors came out great: (Model IV doors on a Model III with wide body kit).  Very happy with them.  Thanks for all the assistance with this (hopefully last) project on this build.  Going to try again this weekend for the first flight.

Some folks leave the door off for first flight - Guess it depends on amount of confidence?

Hope all goes well.   Good Flying,   EDMO

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Posted

Doors came out great: (Model IV doors on a Model III with wide body kit).  Very happy with them.  Thanks for all the assistance with this (hopefully last) project on this build.  Going to try again this weekend for the first flight.

Well Larry,  Are you going to show us some proud photos of your doors and locks?

EdMO

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Posted

Here are a few.  Will try to get some showing the locks today.  Using the Murle Williams locks.

DSCN3984_zpsxnwiqzdm.jpg

DSCN3988_zpsspnjegio.jpg

 

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Posted

Nice job on the doors. Like the seats too.

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Posted (edited)

Thanks Doug.  Trailered it up to the airport yesterday (1F2).  Winds were too punchy to fly, but I was able to do some high speed taxi checks and a couple of crow hops.  She handled fabulously.  

Thanks to everyone for all the help along the way (from the initial build process all the way through to trailer set-up... which trailered great by the way).  You guys have been a fabulous resource!  Here are a few pics from yesterday.  I included the hangar shot for Av4r3400... original home of his project bird (a.k.a Mangy).

DSCN3995_zpstya3voik.jpg

DSCN3998_zpsfl1lawrb.jpg

DSCN3996_zpsxkpzzzoa.jpg

DSCN4003_zpsbsbg7ry6.jpg

Thanks Again!

Larry

Edited by LSaupe
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Posted

Hey, how about that!  Another Kitfox back at that field. Just don't leave it tied down outside to decay like mine was. 

Does Smitty still come around over there?

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Posted

Hey, how about that!  Another Kitfox back at that field. Just don't leave it tied down outside to decay like mine was. 

Does Smitty still come around over there?

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Posted

Haven't seen Smitty since his bird left.  Yep, it was tough seeing it sit out and rust away like that.  Glad you were able to save it.  Mine will be hangered down at NY64 once we get some of the initial flights off.

Actually there used to be three Foxes up there at one time, your Mangy, a Model IV Speedster and a Model II.

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Posted

Dang, Two Larrys on the same field!  I could call you "Red" Larry, or "Redbird", but sure as heck would not dare call 3400 "Yellow"!  

I guess "Mangy Larry" might trip his trigger tho?   :lol:

EdMO

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Posted

I'm half way across the country from that Larry. 

I just bought my Mangy Fox project at that airport.  The guy who built it (Smitty) left it tied down out there to slowly rot.  

image.thumb.jpeg.ba07ae718af26ec8edb0d00

I save it to live another day. 

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Posted (edited)

Great job 3400 - we are keeping up with your progress and improvements on Mangy.  Sorry, I forgot that you are in "North Illinois"  (WI).

RED Larry,   Please read my posts above in "First Flight" with the caution about high-speed taxi, and the Ed Downs Book.

Good Flying to you too.

EDMO

Edited by EDMO

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